Over 500 containers consigned to SOEs remain uncleared as of Sept 2022

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Monica Josiah, Head-Shipper Services, Ghana Shippers’ Authority 

…as some containers stay over 2,000 days

The Ghana Shippers Authority has revealed that more than 500 containers consigned to various state-owned agencies remained uncleared at Ghana’s Ports as at September 2022.

According to the Authority’s Chief Executive Officer, Ms.Benonita Bismarck, state-owned agencies as a result contribute massively to demurrage, duties and rent fees owed at the ports of Ghana.

She said: “Information gathered randomly from five Shipping Lines/Agents operating in Ghana revealed that over 500 containers consigned to various state-owned agencies remained uncleared at the ports as at September 9, 2022. The details are as follows: 49 containers have spent over 2,000 days at the ports. 116 containers have spent between 1000-1999 days at the ports. 78 containers have spent between 500 – 999 days. 205 containers have spent between 100 – 499 days. 60 containers have spent up to 99 days. If we calculate this against the dollar rate, you can imagine how much the nation is losing”.

Ms. Bismack made this revelation in a speech read on her behalf by the Head of Shipper Services, Mrs. Monica Josiah, at an engagement in Accra. This once again brought together shippers and stakeholders within the shipping sector to drum home the need to avoid demurrage during the importation of cargo.

Indeed, the Authority has in recent years embarked on a vibrant nationwide campaign to make it common knowledge that demurrage fees are avoidable; and when avoided, Ghanaian traders can gain a competitive advantage, save money and cause a reduction in consumer prices.

At this year’s ‘How to Avoid Demurrage’ seminar, participants were drawn from Ministries, Departments and Agencies, the Ghana Union of Traders Association, Association of Ghana Industries, the Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Chamber of Mines, among others.

She appealed for Chief Directors, Chief Executives, Managing Directors and other relevant Officers of MDAS/SOEs to take urgent action and ensure consignments are expeditiously cleared from the ports to mitigate the use of state resources for such avoidable costs.

Taking his turn, Deputy Commissioner in charge of Suspense Regimes at the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Emmanuel Ohene, said tremendous innovations introduced in the clearance process should be taken advantage of in the avoidance of demurrage.

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